Latino Dreamers Who Pursued A Creative Career Against All Odds Honored By Ford Motor Company
Posted by: Edwin Macklin Posted: 10-03-2012
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Last week during an intimate dinner reception in New York City, Ford Motor Company honored four creative Hispanic influencers who pursued their passions and found professional success in the arts. Laura Stylez, TV & Radio Personality, Rodrigo Salazar, Writer & Entrepreneur, Ismael Cruz-Cordova, Actor, and Danny Hastings, Photographer & Cinematographer were recognized for their achievements and drive. Several Latino high school students involved with the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers and Latino Youth for Higher Education attended the event and were given the opportunity to connect with these creative mentors.
“Creative teens face challenges defining their paths and figuring out how to turn their talents into a livelihood,” said Virginia McEnerney, Executive Director of the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, which presents the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. “There are thousands of young Latino artists, writers, and musicians in New York City struggling to pursue their dreams. We are honored to give them opportunities to have their work validated and exhibited, and to gain access to scholarships and mentors who can share their stories and motivate students to pursuit their creative ambitions.”
During the event and through a video that was created to showcase stories of inspiration, the dreamers spoke to the younger generation to believe in their own creative intellects and understand the level of commitment and dedication that should be invested into honing their craft. The 2012 NYC Dreamers video can be seen at: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=490601277631163
For more information about the high school organizations please visit: http://www.artandwriting.org/ & http://www.lyhep.org/
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 168,000 employees and about 65 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.
Dreamer’s Bios:
Daniel Hastings, armed with only a handheld camera, arrived in the concrete jungles of NYC from Panama and began to lay the groundwork for photography and cinematography genius. After shooting over 150 album covers, directing 12 music videos and holding posts as an Art Director at Jive Records and Creative Director at the Nu America Agency, this visionary is ready to take himself and his novel organization to the next echelon, with his recent full-length movie production “The Love Potion” and his future film projects.
Ismael Cruz-Cordova is a talented young man who is making it as an actor through a diligent pursuit of his craft. A native of Puerto Rico, Ismael resides in New York and is a recent graduate from NYU. He is well known in his native island where local media regularly highlights his career. He has a recurring English-Language role on CBS' "The Good Wife" and was an HOLA Award Winner for his powerhouse Spanish-language stage performance in "La Luz de Un Cigarillo" ("The Light of a Cigarette").
Laura Stylez was born in L.A. and raised with a New York state of mind. Laura’s style, grace and versatility have helped her in pursuing and succeeding in radio as an on air DJ. Recognizing her multicultural appeal, Univision Radio’s La Kalle 105.9 FM offered her the mid-day time slot, helping to launch her career. In 2009, Laura landed the nationwide “Afternoon Drive” on Caliente SIRIUS/XM. She now contributes digital content and is part of the on air staff for NYC’s Number one station, HOT97. For her resourcefulness and tenacity, Laura was recognized by the world famous Heavy Hitters DJ, one of the few women to be a part of this influential group.
Rodrigo Salazar was born in Bucaramanga, Colombia and grew up in Queens, New York. At NYU, he was part of a student group at that began Conciencia, the first student magazine that covered Latino student issues. Conciencia lead to the creation of Urban Latino magazine, a national magazine targeted to the fast growing young Latino demographic in the United States. Rodrigo was founding editor in chief and partner. Publishing industry magazine Folio picked him as one of their 30 under 30 (ones to watch in the industry under the age of 30). Rodrigo is currently consulting for various Fortune 500 brands and works with Pepsi on Clasico de Calle, a street soccer tournament that will have an exciting finale in Brazil during the upcoming World Cup.
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